Category Archives: Construction

Asphalt, the black pavement material used to pave roads and driveways, may seem like a strange tool for fraud, but asphalt scammers are actually all too easy to find in the warm spring and summer months. Here is the most important information you should know to avoid becoming a victim of such a scam from the best Seattle asphalt company in the area, Jireh Construction.

Why Asphalt?

Asphalt scammers are usually unscrupulous contractors who make a living traveling to different cities and states to rip off unsuspecting homeowners. They tend to go knocking door to door looking for customers. When somebody answers the door, the scammers deliver a persuasive sales pitch explaining that they have “leftover asphalt material” from a nearby job and would like to avoid waste by offering that asphalt pavement for a very low price.

If a homeowner falls for the bait and agrees, the scammers will begin the seattle asphalt job but may leave before it is done or demand more money in order to complete the pavement. It’s all too common for the alleged contractors to demand cash payment up front and then disappear before even starting the work. This type of scam can be avoided by simply denying the offers of any door to door salesmen. A legitimate contractor or paving company would never have enough asphalt left over to pave a second complete driveway, so that type of sales pitch should ring a warning bell immediately. Additionally, never pay in full for a job until it has been completed. Thanks to the Internet, it is easy enough to confirm a company’s validity, reputation, and reviews before entrusting them with the surface of your driveway.

A Better Business Bureau Investigation

A church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota learned the lesson about scammers the hard way when it lost $16,000 to what turned out to be a traveling asphalt scammer. A man claiming to be a legitimate paving company convinced the church personnel to take advantage of his special deal from an extra load of asphalt leftover from a nearby project. After only completing ⅛ of the parking lot, the paver Joseph Stanley said he required two checks of $8,000 each to purchase more asphalt. Rather than using the church’s money for its intended purpose, Stanely cashed the checks immediately and disappeared. A BBB investigation confirmed the scam, and the man in question is currently wanted for criminal prosecution.